


time devides what we might share

by rakscha



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Blink And You Miss It Slash, Dimension Travel, Explicit Language, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Minor Character Death, Past Kate Argent/Derek Hale, Pre-Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Pre-Relationship, Scott is a Good Friend, Time Travel, Warning: Kate Argent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:35:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24513187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rakscha/pseuds/rakscha
Summary: “Because she is psycho, Derek. You should know this with her family.”And Stiles just doesn’t know. If he believes he is really talking with his younger father and Derek Hale it means he is in the middle of Bradbury or Anderson novel. And he can’t pick which time-travel theory is less horrendous. Did he already alter the Universe? But nothing has changed. Should he tell them more? Did he kill his Grandpa?*Or Stiles accidentally contacts the past and everything goes to hell and after that improves.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 13
Kudos: 298





	time devides what we might share

**Author's Note:**

> Post-Season 3a-ish AU with some 'Frequency' and 'The Butterfly Effect' elements.  
> Text about northern lights is from 'Frequency' (I love this movie).  
> The Title is from song Fate’s Wide Wheel by Scott Bakula (from Quantum Leap). 
> 
> No beta. Also English is not my first language, obviously.  
> 05\08\2020 some grammar changes. 
> 
> Please look end notes.

**TWtwTW**

Derek Hale is very unhappy. No, he is not brooding, _Laura_. Not in the slightest. It is not his fault that the Wolf Moon is a couple of days away and the house is slowly filled with different Hales coming for the ritual gathering. And with that everybody has even less privacy as it ever could be in a house full of werewolves.

But it’s a nice thing. One time in the year everyone who is family comes to Talia Hale's house to show their regards to the Alpha and to honor Old Tradition. Over the years the number of Hales coming is smaller and smaller. ‘Time and hunters show no mercy’, says Grandma Hale.

Every single year Derek is forced to endure someone crashing in his room. Because there are too many people to give everyone a place. Last year it was Peter, who made his live insufferable for two whole weeks commenting everything Derek did. And rearranging the furniture. And criticizing his wardrobe. He misses the good old days.

Because this year it’s Laura’s and Cora’s turn to make him regret having a big family. With Peter, he had man camaraderie after all. With Devil’s pawn #1 and Devil’s pawn #2 no such luck. Girls stuff turns everywhere in his room. In his drawers and in his bathroom. Everywhere. Cora calls it Karma.

This morning only he, Mom and Laura are already woken up. Laura is laughing at him God knows why. And, unlike Derek, is doing nothing to help Mom to make breakfast for everybody.

When she sits next to Mom, they suddenly look so alike that Derek is jealous. They have the same set of eyes and similar manners. Cora is the exact replica of Dad the same way. Derek is special according to Mom. This means he looks like both sides of the family probably.‘The Ugly Duckling’ joke never gets old.

“Don’t be so lame, Der-bear! It’s like you don’t like having us in your room,” sing-songs his sister.

“Who does paint their nails in their room at 12 p.m.?” he yells in reply and throws pancake mixture at Laura’s face. She tries to hit him.

Mom just rolls her eyes fondly.

At the background the radio is accompanying their early Thursday morning with a cheery host voice.

_“Yes, believe your eyes. Those are, in fact, the northern lights on view above the city for the first time in nearly 80 years…_

_It's 7 a.m. Hello, Beacon Hills. Early this morning,_ _a brush_ _fire_ _was_ _extinguished_ _by the personnel of_ _Calavera county Fire Department. Five people dead, no survivors. This is not the first case of house burning in California this year…_

_The lights, also known as the aurora borealis...”_

Mom throws a slightly concerned look at the radio but Derek quickly dismisses it. He is too busy slicing bread, pulling faces at his sister and planning the perfect date with his girlfriend who was out of town for the last week.

**TWtwTW**

Stiles is always worrying about his Dad these days. Wednesday evening Stiles spends bonding with his father. They do that a lot now. This is their Thing. To do normal casual stuff together. Rebuild the relationship. Stay alive. Don’t lie. You can imagine how good it is working.

This time they’re eating take out and watching John Wayne classics _True Grit_. (Not like his Dad would ever confess his crazy love for westerns, but it’s still better than romcoms he “accidentally” catches on TV and watches till the end). They both fall asleep on the couch. It was Mom who always wakened them up after movie nights.

Sheriff has an early shift in the morning. So when Stiles opens his eyes at five a.m. he has a crazy backache. He can see his father moving in the kitchen and he can smell coffee beckoning from there.

“You’d better eat granola I bought in that organic shop for breakfast!”

“Go to bed and don’t interrupt my “most important meal of the day,” calls the Sheriff back. Stiles laughs. He peers inside the kitchen to wish his father good day and goes to his room to catch a couple of hours of normal sleep.

Where he finds Derek Hale of all people sleeping on his bed. Some things don’t even surprise him these days. He shrugs, kicks his shoes off and falls next to Derek, who doesn’t even bother to move.

Next time Stiles wakes it’s 7 a.m. and Derek is nowhere to be seen. Somebody had put a blanket over him. Another day in Stilinski household.

Thursday means he has only two classes and no bro-time with Scott, who already has plans with Allison or Isaac. Stiles is not really sure.

Everything is suddenly peaceful these days. Like bad guys just pushed the pause button and went on vacation (not that Stiles is not grateful), and even if he doesn’t see much of anyone outside of school, it’s good. Adorablemente. Fan-fucking-tastic. Nobody is trying to kill him at least.

So when he comes home, Stiles has a lot of free time. He does some homework, when cleans the house, when surfs some of his favorite sites. By the evening he’s bored out of his mind.

He even watches some mystical program about the aurora borealis, thinking what it would be interesting to write a paper about it. It’s a rare event that’ll last for the next couple of days. Stiles slightly remembers the northern lights from his childhood.

_“The aurora borealis, to anyone who's seen it is one of the stunning events of your lifetime. Where do they come from? It's a stunning sight. It's beautiful to look at. I don't think we've seen one quite this bright for 10 years... but from the point of view of physics and string theory... there's nothing really that we gain from studying the aurora borealis. History does teach that every time we thought we had it figured out...”_

Sheriff calls home to say one of his new Deputies fell ill and he needs to work a double shift. Stiles tries not to sound disappointed when he hears it.

Trying to do something he brings a couple of old boxes from the attic and starts to sort through them. He finds his old DIY dance pad, some children books, old controllers and lot of stuck candy.

And then he finds his Mom’s old flip-phone. It’s a bright pink Motorola Razr and Stiles feels like he found a treasure. It’s a challenge to find battery charger, but he successfully completes it after an hour and a lot of other boxes and dust. Two hours later the phone, at last, turns on. Stiles finds some crappy pictures of himself and his Mom and Dad. He feels sad and nostalgic looking through them. He’s five or six on the most of them and Mom is already ill, but they all look so happy. The family they used to be. He needs to remember to save them to his laptop.

Stiles comes to kitchen mindlessly searching through contacts. SIM-card should be dead for ages, but then he pushes the call button on the “Babysitter from Hell” it works. He is curious if it was his sitter and is trying to remember anything about them, then somebody answers the call. Stiles incredulously looks at the phone but decides to say something in return.

“Laura Hale’s phone, who’s talking?.. Are you there?” someone cheers and Stiles is suddenly very angry. He’s got a difficult puzzling relationship with Derek, tolerable with Cora, hopefully, a none-relationship with Peter and still feels guilty about finding Laura’s body. This is unacceptable.

“Who is this?” he hisses in the speaker. “If this is your idea of some kind of sick joke you better stop right now. Because I know her brother and he’ll be pissed to know someone is impersonating his dead sister!”

“I don’t know you,” is the answer. A man, no a boy on the line is confused. “Dead sister? Who told you Laura’s dead? Is she your babysitter? Because if she trying to slack again from work I’m telling Mom.”

“ _You_ don’t know me? Of cause! Tell me who and where you are and maybe we can solve this without much blood. No promises, because Derek needs to let off some steam.”

“Peter paid you to mess with me? I’ll tell you, it’s not funny.” Stiles is starting to have a headache. And then he hears it. Muffled laugh and kid’s shriek and then a “Derek, why are talking on my phone? Gimme, gimme.” Then a girl’s voice speaks. “Laura Hale, do you need a babysitter?” Stiles hangs up. He should tell Derek about this cruel joke. Then he sees him again. Probably.

The phone starts ringing. Curiosity killed the werewolf, thinks Stiles, and answers. It’s the boy again.

“Are you Okay? Your heartbeat was too fast when the call disconnected”. Stiles doesn’t know what is happening and if he wants to answer. Who does talk about hearing a heartbeat on the phone? This are supernatural hearing abilities. How does it even work for werewolves? And if the girl’s name Laura, and the boy is a werewolf, that means…

“Mine name’s Derek. Derek Hale. Look, you don’t need to be afraid of Uncle Peter. It’s was a stupid joke and you failed at it, but it’s fine. He’s more bark than bite”. Stiles silently laughs because he is really not. Or maybe there was some old paint in the attic and he inhaled it and now he is having hallucinations. Moreover, hearing stuff.

“Hello, Derek. Derek Hale. You know that for a proper reference you should have started with your last name. And Peter doesn’t scare me”. Much. Why is he trying to joke? Why is he answering at all? Why is this happening again with him? ‘Derek’ laughs. “It’s this really Laura Hale’s phone?”

“Yes.”

Stiles looks though the window. The sky is very beautiful. The northern lights sparkle in different colors. He thinks again about that program from TV. _“The sunspots are going to have a serious impact on radio communication for the next six or seven days. In fact, quantum theory tells us that the rigid notions of past, present, and future although useful in day-to-day life may dissolve and be replaced by a complex formulation in which time is far more fluid than anybody would have imagined.”_ He doesn’t believe a word from it. But he still asks. 

“Derek, can you tell me what year is it?”

“2005. Are you sure you‘re okay? Your heartbeat is doing it again.” Stiles is afraid to move. Afraid to talk. Does it make him crazy that he believes this is Derek instantly? That his mind is already full of ideas and opportunities? What if this is his chance? To right the wrongs? It’s late for his Mom. But the Hales are still alive somewhere in 2005. He had heard voices of kids and even possibly Laura. If werewolves are a possibility, why can’t time-travel phone calls be also true?

“What is the date, Derek?”

“January the 20th. You’re asking weird questions.”

“No, you’re weird.” Yes, Stiles, doing the best to make him believe you’re a sane person. “I want to tell you something. You won’t believe me, but… My name is Stiles by the way.” Stiles stops, but hears Derek’s breathing, he is there. Listening. You can be sure these days that Derek is listening. He just doesn’t always hear you.

“I don’t know if I’m delusional and if I’m even talking to you or dreaming. But this is Beacon Hills, Derek, so…” He’s babbling now, the words are fighting him. “She’s gonna kill them, Derek. Your family. Kate Argent is a hunter and she’ll burn your house down in five days”. He is waiting for Derek to growl, threaten him, or drop the phone. All he hears is choked noise and a whine. “Please, don’t hang up, Derek. Listen to me. I’m not joking and this is so not like an episode of Punk'd. I cannot give you a solid prove...”

Stiles stops afraid to hear the dial tone. How to prove…how to…“You should check my words with something. I remember that winter I was really scared for my friend. It was just before I… There’s a boy in Cora’s class. Scott McCall. He’ll have a terrible asthma attack in school… tomorrow, yes, tomorrow. They’ll even call the ambulance. Yes, check it. And then you should go to my Da… Deputy Stilinski and tell him about Kate. There are some other people helping her but she is the one behind it. Please, believe me.” Then there's a sound of the crash and the line goes still.

Stiles doesn’t know what had just happened and should he even believe himself it has happened. But there is “Babysitter from Hell” written on the phone screen as a Caller ID. He wants to talk to Scott. Or even to Derek. But he is scared and confused.

_“…there was some major discovery right around the bend that required a complete dramatic change in our understanding of the laws of physics. This is a phrase people have begun to hear, "string theory."_

_Now, string theory dramatically changes our understanding of space and time. For example, it turns out that string theory requires our universe to have 10 or possibly even 11 dimensions. Strange thing is some physicists are even pursuing the idea there might be more than one-time dimension. Time as we know it, psychological time..._

_Which seems to organize events in the universe there may be a second time dimension. The universe evolves in a different manner. Another phrase...”_

**TWtwTW**

Derek is scared and confused. His heart is beating like a rabbit and he can’t control his claws. He simply answered Laura’s phone like he does every time when a “Mrs. S” popped on the screen just to annoy his sister. And then there was this boy talking nonsense. And at first, Derek thought Peter tried again to prank him. And then the boy said that Kate is a hunter and is going to kill his family. Derek doesn’t dare to call back again.

Nobody knows about Kate. Even Peter. Because she is older. And gorgeous. They had gone to a couple of dates. She kissed him and let him touch her. Then they even had sex and she said it was amazing. Told him he was a good boy. And she always promises to let him do more. With her, he doesn’t have time to think. To feel guilty about anything.

But. But she always is asking questions. About his family. About his home. He is not stupid. He is not a future Alpha, but everybody heard little bits and pieces about Argents. How dangerous they could be. But when he asked Kate about her family she said that she doesn’t like weapons and their family business and choose to become a teacher. She sounded sincere. Her heart was beating steadily. She can’t be a hunter.

Now he sounds crazy. He should just go to sleep. Tomorrow he’ll just ask Kate again and listen to her heartbeat. And then he’s going find to Peter and eviscerate him for his stupid jokes.

The next day is his turn to bring Cora home from school. Then he comes to Beacon Hills elementary there is an ambulance in the parking lot. There are a lot of children and their parents in court. He tries to catch Cora’s scent but then he is distracted because he hears the familiar voice. But something about it is not right. Cora makes a beeline for him and he takes her hand still searching. There are a teacher and two small boys next to an ambulance with a paramedic attending to one of them. Cora follows his gaze.

“That’s Scott McCall. He had an asthma attack in the class. It’s was awful. Everyone thought he’ll die. I heard his heart pounding like a bird. He is fine now. Stiles helped to find his inhaler.”

This can’t be the boy from yesterday. He is too small. But how many people have a name like Stiles? What kind of name it is? And the other kid having an asthma attack. This has to be the prove that Kate is… No. Derek walks Cora to the car and drives home, only half listening to her stories about the day. He drops her there and quickly drives back to town before he can change his mind. He takes Laura’s phone with him.

He suddenly wants to skip his date with Kate because he is too nervous to face her. But decides he has done nothing to be afraid to meet his girlfriend. He goes to the café on the outskirts of the city, where they always meet. Kate is already waiting and looks beautiful as always, but a little weary.

She greets him with a kiss. Derek was so riled up these two days he sniffs her to make himself relax. And under her spicy honey smell, he likes so much is something else. He hugs her to be closer. Kate laughs. Now he can feel the smell of gun oil. And burned wood. They are almost elusive. But Derek suddenly feels very sick. It can’t mean anything. He tries to smile. But there’s something in his face.

“What’s wrong, honey? Are you not happy to see me?” She pouts.

“I’m, Kate,” Derek swallows bile down his throat. “I just don’t feel so good.”

She looks at him very closely with a strange expression. “Maybe we’ll reschedule then? Meet tomorrow and you will tell me everything about this family thing you make every year.”

“Yes.” Derek’s blood feels ice cold in his veins. “Tomorrow.” She kisses him again passingly and puts her nails on his stomach. And Derek almost bolts from her.

He drives around the town for hours. And then he parks across the Sheriff’s station. He can’t make himself leave the car. He should talk to his Alpha or Laura or even Peter about his stupid phone call. But he can’t tell them about Kate. Just can’t be a failure again.

Derek sees a Deputy in his thirties walking to him and he can just press the pedal and go. He should. He stays. The Deputy knocks on the cars window.

“You alright, son?” Is Derek alright? He doesn’t think so. It’s an evening already and the northern lights become visible above them. They are beautiful, but nothing can distract him from his mind. He is clenching Laura’s phone in his hand.

“I need to… I need to speak with Deputy Stilinski”. The Deputy smiles at him and points at his chest plate with “J. Stilinski”. Derek tries to smile back.

“Do you want to speak at the station?” Derek’s hands are clenched. The claws are digging in his palms. “Or we could do to the dinner down the street.” Derek looks at the building and feels so trapped. He chooses the dinner. They walk down there.

The Deputy radiates confidence and calmness. The smells like gun powder and leaver and sugar. But his smell is pure and soughing. The café is almost empty. Stilinski orders coffee, Derek asks for soda. They book in the remote booth. Derek recognizes the man’s face. He is one of the candidates for Sheriff position.

He stares intently at Derek. It feels very uncomfortable.

“What is your name, son?” The Deputy sounds sincere in his attempt to push him to talk. So Derek tries to believe some strange boy because deep down he had himself sensed something wrong from Kate what shouldn’t be there. It is stupid. It could be a prank. But he was always told to trust his wolf.

He tells the officer how he started dating a substitute from school. And he feels how angry the man is, although tries to keep a friendly face and it’s not directed at Derek. He tells about the phone call. About this idea of Kate planning to burn his house. About her probably having accomplices. Stilinski asks Derek to give him the phone. He scrolls through contacts and immediately calls the number back. And the boy picks up.

**TWtwTW**

Stiles feels jittery the whole day. Scott tries to distract him all day joking and being a good friend. He has a slightly worried expression. When Scott tells him about arcade he and Isaac visited yesterday and how Isaac won at Mario Cart, Stiles is not even jealous. Hell no. It’s hard for him to be angry at Scott. But he can afford himself to hate Isaac a little.

Besides he had spent a perfect mind-blowing evening all by himself. And is not really sure he believes it happened. Everything around them is just the same. Nothing changed. So even if the phone call happened it didn’t change a thing. Right?

Scott doesn’t know there Derek is and what he is up too. After this Alphas and Jennifer fiasco Derek is always somewhere, but not with them. Maybe, punishing himself in a flush of his martyr complex. Or working out non-stop. Scott is not that much interested.

And Stiles is too afraid to show his interest. Knowing Derek’s history in relationship and his character Stiles just tries to be there when he can. But it is probably harder when you cannot find the person you think might need your support. And probably doesn’t want it.

Nothing has changed after his silly phone call. So Stiles pushes the thoughts away. He spends the afternoon with Scott, only two of them. At six Deaton calls, so Scott goes to the clinic to assist with some very sick dog emergency. Stiles doesn’t mind that much. Until he absently answers a phone call and hears his father’s voice.

“Hello?”

“Sup, Dad,” Stiles answers absentmindedly still playing at his phone. Which is in his hand. Which means…but how…He nervously laughs. “…dy-o. By which I totally mean random older dude, who I totally respect?” He hears a familiar sigh on the other end. And Derek’s voice. The _other_ Derek’s.

“Stiles, is that you? You need to tell Deputy Stilinski why you told me what Kate Argent is going to burn my house”. He hears muffled “Stiles?” from his Dad. Who is very clever. Who might be safer knowing the truth right there. Or might be killed trying to help werewolves who can heal. Why again did he think it was a good idea to send Derek from the past to talk to his Dad? This is so unreal. However, there is still stupid the northern lights theory. And magic. And werewolves. He always was the first one to believe impossible.

Derek sounds like he needs to know this reason for himself. Why is Kate dangerous. Why would she kill people. What so hard to believe?

And who even asks questions like that? It sounds like a crazy theory Stiles came up and not a serious claim to a police officer. Thank you, Derek.

“Because she is a fucking psycho, Derek. You know who her family is.”

Dad says “Language”.

And Stiles just doesn’t know. Is he really talking with his younger father and a Derek Hale from the past? Then it means he is like in the middle of Bradbury or Anderson novel. And he can’t pick which time-travel theory is less horrendous. Did he already alter the Universe? But nothing has changed. Should he tell them more? Did he kill his Grandpa?

Ok, he can afford to be a little dramatic. Because he is probably going crazy.

“Derek, I know it for sure. She is using you and she’ll kill your family on the Wolf Moon”.

His Dad is speaking again already in interrogation mode. “Who are you? How did you get this information?”

Stiles ignores the “name” question. “Look at this as an anonymous tip. I gave you a place and date and name. You just need to stop her in time.”

“This is not how it works”.

“I’m pretty sure it is.” Stiles clenches his fists. “There were some guys who helped her. Reddick, Unger and fire investigator Myers. And the chemistry teacher, his name’s Adrian Harris, can identify her. I don’t know who else worked with her”. He stops. “You need to know one more thing, Derek, you hear me? They will trap the house with mountain ash.” Stiles hears how Derek gasps. And his father asks “What does this mean?” No, he can’t tell his Dad about werewolves. If he succeeds Dad will know nothing about them. Hales will be alive. Erica. Boyd. Everything will be back to normal and safe.

“Stiles, you home?” calls his real Dad from the front floor. It’s too much. “I need to go.”

“Wait! We’re not finished!” But the call is already disconnected. The phone rings again, but Stiles doesn’t dare to pick it up again.

**TWtwTW**

Does he know about me and her? The thought repeats in Derek’s mind again and again. If this Stiles doesn’t know that Kate is his girlfriend, if he doesn’t know that she is more than just a member of the Argent family for Derek, then maybe the other boy was confused and some other Argents are plotting something. Maybe he had run too early to the police? But her smell was so wrong. And her words always cut like daggers.

Stilinski is writing something in his notebook. Derek suddenly understands that he told the police officer that he is dating someone who is older than him for 8 years. This is a catastrophe. His family only recently started to treat him like a normal person after Paige's death, acknowledge that he has moved on. And now this. They will be so disappointed. Mom will kill him for being so stupid. And Dad will have this look. And Peter and Laura won’t shut up with jokes and laugh. He can see it already. And Kate, oh God, she’ll hate him too. They’ll fire her from school.

The Deputy says something to him. Derek focuses only on the third try.

“Wolf moon? Is this a specific date?”

“25th January. Full moon,” Derek is still in his thoughts.

Stilinski looks at him funny.

“My family is really into “Unity with Nature” thing”? Derek makes an innocent face.

The Deputy suspiciously looks at him but is distracted by a phone call, there’s something urgent about his son.

“Derek, look at me. Even if all of this is a false denunciation I need to check it. And, son, we need to talk about your relationship with Kate Argent. Do you understand that it could be classified as statutory rape, yes?” Derek turns pale. But she wanted it. And he wanted it.

“I need to go right now. I’ll come tomorrow to your house and we’ll discuss everything, agree?” Stilinski squeezes Derek’s shoulder standing up. He gives Derek a card. “It’s my personal number. Call at any time. We’ll figure everything out, Derek”. He walks out of the dinner.

Derek doesn’t see a car that is parked at the side of the road. It starts moving as soon as the officer goes in the direction of the station.

He should go and tell Mom everything before the police come to their home.

He needs to talk to Kate.

Derek doesn’t know which one is scarier. He leaves five messages for Kate. She doesn’t call back.

Derek drives by the motel where they always meet, but she’s not there either. Derek tries to catch her sent but finds nothing.

He drives straight home from there. He rehearses a whole speech to his parents about everything that happened in the last two days. Again and again, he replays it in his mind.

But stops himself, when he gets to the house. Everyone is in the dining room eating. Aunt Norah with her husband Mike and their son Rudy (they think they gave him a hilarious name for a human) have arrived at last. Cora and his little cousin are running around the table trying to catch Laura. Who is stuck middle-shift with big funny ears and yellow eyes.

(Derek’s own eyes are blue. Like Peter’s. Like Grandma’s. Mom didn’t talk to her brother for six months after what happened with Paige. Derek is not sure if he really blames Peter that much anymore. He loves his Uncle. He is just a special person to care.

Will his mother even talk to him after she knows about Kate?)

Gradma Hale is sitting at the head of the big wooden table. She is old but still full of power. On the right side, Mom is squished between Dad and Peter with his new girlfriend at his left. The other side is occupied by Norah and Mike, Mom’s cousin Elroy and his father Jacob. Everyone is happy to see each other. They joke, eat and look happy.

Not today. He will talk to them tomorrow before the Deputy comes. Just not today.

**TWtwTW**

When Stiles wakes up, he can’t breathe because of the smell. His room is barely lit by the moonlight. And it reeks of fumes. He abruptly jumps from his bed only to nearly fall back. Everything in his room is burned. Walls are covered in flame patterns and soot. His desk, his books, everything is destroyed by fire. The only clean thing in the room is Stiles himself. He is standing barefoot dressed in PJs in the middle of his burned down room. What the hell happened here?!

And then the pain comes. Stiles fells on his knees. He squeezes his head with both hands hoping it will stop. And then he remembers.

_He is ten. Dad, Melissa, Scott, and he are eating ice cream in the park. They are laughing because ice cream in January is the bestest thing ever. It was a tradition his Mom invented. The coldest treat for the coldest time. He misses her greatly. But at this moment he is happy._

He is ten. His Dad is dead. They are at the cemetery. The only thing he feels is pain. Bandages cover his burns from the fire. Scott and Melissa both are holding his hands. He was so sick he couldn’t even attend the actual funeral. The second one in half a year.

_He is twelve. Dad finally agreed to take him to the shooting range. His Dad is a Sheriff and the greatest person ever because today he will teach Stiles how to shoot. He learned all the rules about gun safety. In addition to most of the police codes. He is ready._

He is twelve. A couple of older kids from foster home drag him along with them in the drug store. They have guns. They want money. Stiles is the one left to watch out. He doesn’t run away in time from the Sheriff’s cruiser. This is the first time he comes to the Sheriff’s station in handcuffs.

_He is sixteen. A couple of months ago his best friend was bitten by a werewolf. Now he is living in a medieval fairy tale where anything can happen. He just saved his Dad’s life by almost killing himself. But he is not alone in this. Scott, Allyson, Lydia, Isaac, Derek, Cora are somewhere always not far._

He is sixteen. He had run away from his foster family again. He is hiding in his old home, which is full of bitter memories. The city is planning to demolish it and the old Hale house and rebuild it on the land. The house is the last memory left of his family.

There are tears in his eyes. Memories are layering on each other. His Dad is dead. His Dad is alive. He thought he wasn’t happy before between facing monsters and near death experiences. He is miserable now. Alone, surrounded by ruins of his life.

He throws himself on the bed hoping beyond hope. He took the phone with him to bed, afraid Dad could see it. It’s still under the pillow. Intact and working. He starts to call the damned number.

“Pick up, Derek. Pick up!”

After three agonizing minutes Derek answers.

“Huh?”

“Oh, God. Oh, God. I killed my Dad. My _Dad_ is _dead,_ Derek.” Stiles sobs.

“Stiles? Are you alright?” Derek sounds confused and sleepy. And Stiles remembers what they are nobody to each other. They haven’t even met. This is not Derek who saved his life. Whose life he saved. He shouldn’t have told him anything. He should have gone right away to _his_ Derek. Scott. Deaton. Anyone.

“What happened?” Stiles hears some kind of echo.

“Derek, all I said to you before is truth.” Stiles tries to gather his thoughts together. It’s hard. “My name is Stiles _Stilinski_. That Deputy you talked with is my Dad. Something went wrong after I talked to you. The future has changed.”

Stiles is starting to feel like he can’t breathe. His heart is beating in his ears. 

Derek hums.

“His kid is like ten.” Distrusting Hale is familiar territory. Makes it easier to focus. To stay himself.

“Thanks, genius. I know! He’s me. I’m from the future. Not he. This is how I know stuff.”

“Prove it”.

“How can I prove to you some weird magic and space-continuum mumbo-jumbo?! I told you about Scott. How much can I remember? I was _ten_!” Why does this not sound like crazy talk they had before anymore?

“Prove it”.

What _does_ he remember about 2005? What does he know about Derek? Aside his own observations?

“I told you I don’t know much about you!”

Now he is angry and yelling at Derek being a stubborn idiot like usual.

“And you know what? Fine! Let Kate kill anyone you love! But don’t you think I’ll let her do it to myself. Why is it so hard to believe she is evil?”

He feels focused now. The other memories fade away. He is glaring at his phone.

“Did you rile me up on purpose?”

“No.”

“You _did,_ Sigmund _!_ ” Derek doesn’t answer. Stiles almost feels like he is talking with Derek he knows.

“Anger is a good anchor. Always helps me.”

They don’t talk for some time.

“Do you believe me?” almost whispers Stiles.

“Yes,” is quiet answer. “Something _is_ not right with her. What happened to your Dad?”

Stiles heart spikes again, but he focuses and it slows a little.

“Everything changed. That first phone call shouldn’t be possible. I used an old phone and called a random number and you of all people answered. And I thought this was my chance to help. To do a good thing. To save someone. But more people died instead. My father is dead. My home is burned down.”

“But I have seen him a couple of hours ago”.

“I don’t know how exactly this works. Like I told you a lot of stuff and you killed a wrong butterfly and BAM! I wake up in another world”.

“Did my family really die in the fire?”

“We can stop it. Nobody will die.”

“But what can we do?” Derek sounds so young and vulnerable again. They need to know what happened. Why the history took a worse path.

“We need to find evidence against her. You should tell everything your Mom. If she doesn’t believe you, talk to the emissary. And to my Dad.” He makes a huge inhale. Everything happened the way he feared when things only started. His Dad got involved without the knowledge and now is dead. Maybe “in-the-know” will help his father to stay alive. Oh, God.“He needs to know all truth. You need to stop her. Derek, only you, Laura, Peter and Cora survived last time. She’ll use mountain ash and wolfsbane to trap werewolves in the house. They will block the tunnels. And when burn everything down. And apparently mine house as well.”

Derek is silent. His next question is careful.

“Did I tell you about what we are? And how you are not afraid?”

“I figured you guys for myself. And how can I be afraid of a couple of plushy dogs?” It’s a half-lie. He is not afraid of werewolves. Not anymore. But everything that happens around them is so scary and painful sometimes he regrets he didn’t leave the town with his Dad after Laura’s Hale death. “A werewolf had bitten my best friend. All went downhill from where. That’s how I met you.”

“Are we friends? That's why you wanted to help in the first place?”

Stiles considers his answer. Are they friends? They save each other every time. But they never hang out if danger is not looming about them. But lately, nobody hangs out with him that much. His package deal didn’t go with werewolf buddies. Maybe he should change it when he is back home. He actually gets Derek. He likes his dry humor and trustworthiness. And Derek is nice to look at. Soooo not the point at the moment.

“I guess. You’re a good guy. And we will figure it out. We can talk, we can fix it”.

“Ok. I trust you”.

Stiles is amazed. This Derek-from-the-past says he trusts him after a couple of strange phone calls. And his Derek… Not. Yet.Maybe?

Stiles looks around him. There are things are from his childhood, nothing to help him to find what really happened. Then he looks at himself. He needs to find some clothes. To get rid of this toxic smell. And he needs a laptop.

“I will call you in a couple of hours. Try to catch some sleep.”

But No rest for the wicked, he thinks. Who can help him out in the middle of the night? The only over person besides his Dad, who was always his. Scott.

**TWtwTW**

The road to Scott’s house without a car and shoes is quite longer when usual. The streets are empty. Even the air is still. The nature looks tensed in anticipation. Even the residential evil is lurking somewhere else.

He is cold. And alone.Which is a bit depressing to think about. And Stiles loves to think so much. But he’s got a goal. A mission to complete. He will be alright, _right_?

The dogs frighten him so much a couple of times he wishes anyone to be with him now. Even Jackson.Or Peter.

He considers stealing some shoes but it is not worth the risk. And he is too tired for that.

The McCall house looks as usual. Melissa’s car is not in the yard. The lights are out. Both doors are closed. So he goes for the window instead. He is really cold and climbing up on the second floor is not an easy task. The window to Scott’s bedroom is slightly opened. He makes the hole wider and falls through it and in no time something hits him on the head.

“Ouch. What the hell?”

“Stiles?!” Scott’s voice sounds high pinched.

“¿Quépasó?” He incredulously looks at his friend.”And why always with baseball bats, really? You play lacrosse. Use your stick!” Stiles stops embarrassed. “Not what stick stick. Argh. You know what I mean!”

Scott throws himself at Stiles. It’s good. Scott’s skin feels not as hot as always, but much hotter than Stiles himself at the moment. And Stiles needs a hug so much. They stay like that for some time.

“Stiles, what are you doing here? Did you run away again? And why are you in PJ’s?”

“I have a very important meeting with your laptop. And no to other questions.” Stiles turns on the lamp and starts to search around.

“Dude! Your scars are like totally gone.” Scars? After the talk with Derek, he somehow blocked the other Stiles memory. So it feels fuzzy. He remembers what his father died and all. But not the details. He walks to the bathroom and looks in the mirror and his face looks normal. Dirty and exhausted but normal.

“Would you believe me if I told you I had plastic surgery?” Scott looks at him like he is deranged. Scott. So he tells him everything. From the very beginning. Stiles talks and talks till his throat is sore. And is interrupted with occasional ‘Dude!’ and ‘Bro!’ and ‘Werewolves?’ and ‘I have a girlfriend?’

He sits on the bed with blankets wrapped around him. “So do you believe me?”

“I have known you since we were kids. You told me I will die from the chickenpox. I started to plan my funeral. Mom was so angry. You promised me not to lie again. So I know you’re not shitting me.” Stiles really doubts Scott’s sanity. But really loves him in the moment. And to Stiles defense, he believed himself Scott was going to die. He helped to plan this funeral! And wrote the speech! And even sent an invitation to his Gran!

Scott squeezes his eyes and looks Stiles in the face with calculating expression, which really reminds him of his own dad.

“I missed you so much, brother.”

This time Stiles is the one who hugs Scott. And if there are some tears, Stilinski man are allowed to cry at special moments. But let Scott ruin it as only he can. With responsible questions.

“Why didn’t you ask the other me or this Derek the Wolf for help?”

“Scott, shut up.” Stiles hits him in the shoulder. The thing is Stiles panicked. Mom's face just before she ceased to recognize him flashed before his eyes and it was a too scary thought. Fear what is with him every day of his life. Because if one day he starts to hear or see things that are not present in the physical sense and don’t have magic causes it will mean he has it too. His brain is killing him. And his Dad is abandoned again.

They stay together with Scott pressed against each other for some time. Then Scott finds his laptop under the bed and gives it to Stiles. After that, he brings some hot coffee and sandwiches. Stiles is still cold, so he makes a blanket nest and starts to work.

And what he finds out is fucking scary. Because this time ‘the Hale fire’ killed twelfth people, including the kids - Laura, Derek, Cora and someone called Rudy. And all the grown-ups. Even Peter. And very same evening Deputy J. Stilinski heroically died saving his son from the house fire. He looks at the picture of himself sitting in the ambulance. Half of this face and his hands are covered in burns. He somehow looks with them worse than Peter in his early Alpha days.

Isn’t it ironical? He didn’t abandon his Dad. Just killed him for good. The boy scrolls down pages after pages. Something is wrong. Why did Kate burn his house? How did she know about his father?

**THE BEACON DAILY**

**Sunday, January 23, 2005**

**Policemen saves son, dies in a fire**

**Yesterday a police officer heroically died in a suspicious fire rescuing his son, despite fire-fighter attempts to save him. Police states that Deputy J. Stilinski, who was seen as main candidate to the Sheriff position in the upcoming elections, was overcome by smoke after he pushed his ten-year-old son out the living room window of their house.**

**His son is now said to be stable at the Beacon Hills Hospital after suffering from smoke inhalation and severe burns. Authorities who believe the fire began behind the front door of the house are treating the blaze as suspicious. Arson theory is not yet ruled out, but the exact cause of the fire is under investigation. It is believed to be connected to the fire of the semi-detached Hale house in Preserve, which did not leave survivors. (READ MORE AT ‘HALE FIRE KILLS 12’)**

The date! The date of the fire is all wrong. All this happened on 25th of January, not 22nd. They must have somehow spooked Kate. And she killed not only the Hales but came to his home as well. She somehow knew about his father’s involvement. It’s really his fault.

Stiles doesn’t know how much time passes. Scott is quietly snoring next to him.

Stiles tries to dig dipper. He searches for Kate. It seems what after the fire she left town. So he looks and looks and there is news about a serial arsonist in California. Twelfth arson cases in the last eight years. Everybody knows it is not an electrical malfunction or something else, even if the reports say so. They can’t find the pattern besides the victims being happy families, some strange animal activity in the area and the link with Moon cycle. Nobody knows victims are werewolves after they are dead. FBI killer profile that slipped in the papers is complete nonsense. Like it was written by the Hollywood screenwriter. “94% male, middle age, single offender, targets random.”

He bitterly thinks about what he himself is the one, who helped Kate to survive and let her continue to kill people for years. In his time she stopped after the Hales. Was she afraid Derek will tell somebody? Or did Gerard take her away? Why did she become so ruthless this time? She killed his father, the Hales and ten other families. Where they even all the werewolves?

Scott stretches and drowsy opens his eyes. He looks at the monitor and says “Hey… Isn’t this Ms. A from school? She came back to town like two years ago.”

Stiles stills. How can she…

“This is it, you clever little cookie you!” Scott looks pleasured by praise. But his face quickly changes expression when Stiles says he needs to know where she is living to find more evidence against her.

“Stiles. Are you saying Ms. A was the one behind the fire?” His friend is worried now. But still brave and determined. He doesn’t say “that killed your father” aloud.

“Yes.” Stiles says tentatively only to hear that Scott “has a plan”. As far as Stiles knows Scott his plans are always bad but effective. And because he doesn’t have one himself at the moment, he can only listen.

“So you will come with me to school and we will find her application files in the office. And then go to her house and look for what you need.” 

Stiles agrees because this is a pretty simple plan. What can go wrong? And Kate doesn’t scare him. Much.

**TWtwTW**

Derek can’t go back to sleep. The first time it was easy because he was exhausted with anxiety and raging emotions.

But then Stiles called again. And Derek snuck in the bathroom trying not to wake up Cora and Laura.

And Stiles was crying.And Derek didn’t know what to do, so he tried to make the other boy angry, to find strength and anchor in it. It worked. The same way in worked for him many days after Paige’s death.

Derek did believe at last fully in everything the boy was talking about. Because not once Derek heard him tell a lie. Because he finally listened to himself. It was so painful to hear he was the reason his family might be dead. Because Derek finally did ‘get some’. And not only his parents and siblings and cousins might be dead, but Stiles's father as well. It didn’t seem right.

But Stiles promised they could fix it. And Derek did believe him. Just could not to.

Derek came out from the bathroom and heard voices on the first floor. If Stiles can be this brave, he can tell everything to his parents too.

“Peter, did you pick a girlfriend with a name Eleanor just to make fun of my husband’s family tradition?” He heard Mom’s voice.

“Me? Making fun of my beloved brother-in-law? Never, Theodor, dear, I would do such a thing.”Answered his Uncle. “And besides he was the one to bring this tradition in our home. And know we are blessed having a ‘Cora’, a ‘Laura’, a ‘Norah’ and a ‘Theodor’ altogether. I’m simply amazed how our little Derek avoided this fate. So she fits. You know how I get. Besides she is great in bed.”

“Peter! Not in front of the kids!”

Everyone is staring at him as he comes in the room. Peter has a mischievous expression and even winks at him, but then he is suddenly serious. Mom stands up and embraces him. Everyone leaves the room aside Mom, Dad and Peter after Talia looks at them. And he is grateful. Because he can’t control his emotions. Even if they will hear everything anyway, he doesn’t need to look at them. He knows he reeks of fear, sadness and guilt.

“Derek, what is wrong? Tell me what happened”.

And he does. He tells them how he felt after Paige’s death and Peter looks so so guilty. About his loneliness and constant pain. How all he felt was anger and how it helped to control his wolf. How all he could think was that night. How he met Kate and it wasn’t so hard anymore. Because she was a great distraction and suddenly it became so easy to breathe again. To be excited to see her, to talk to her, to be with her. How he thought that was love.

They nod like they knew he was seeing someone. He was not as sneaky as he thought. He stops and mother encourages him to continue.

He says Kate is a substitute from school and feels how Mom becomes angry. He can see it not only on her face. And he knows he was stupid to believe what someone older was interested in him for himself. He feels miserable and the only thought that makes him continue is Stiles and a promise he made for himself.

So he tells how one day she just started to talk to him. About some simple stupid things. Like the books he liked. And sports. And family.

And then he tells them she is an Argent.

His mother’s eye flare red and there is now the Alpha listening to him. He lets a whine but nobody interrupts him. His father looks very calm but the armrest of the chair he sits is already broken. Peter has a predatory look at him, his eyes are angry. The boy hears a murmur from the kitchen.

And Derek tells them about Stiles. About phone calls. And the warning. And the Deputy. And the Fire. Mom roars and storms out of the room. Peter follows her. Derek stands up to follow, but Dad pulls him back by his neck in a hug. They both sit on the sofa and wait. Derek is trembling. But he feels so much better and worse at the same time. Norah comes to sit next to him. It calms him a little.

The Alpha comes back with Peter at her right shoulder and Grandma Ruth at her left, Elroy and Jacob behind them. Derek can see Mike with his son and Derek’s sisters at the stairs. He is ready for his punishment. He hopes it is not as bad how the old books say, but he knows he deserves it. The betrayed everyone. The Pack has come together so the Alpha can bring justice.

The Alpha crouches before him her eyes red like blood and Derek sobs. But she only takes his hands in hers.

“Forgive me, Derek”. He doesn’t know what to say. It’s his Mom again before him. She kisses his hands and then his face with small kisses. “I should have taken care of you better”.

“No, Mom! It’s me! This is entirely my fault!”

“Derek, you are just a boy.” Mom presses him to her chest. “Just a boy”.

Laura and Cora spring to him and even if they don’t know exactly what is happening they circle him and Mom and Dad in a big hug.

“Peter, contact the emissary. Mike, put the kids to sleep”. 

Mom lets him go and goes to Dad. They stay for a couple of minutes next to each other whispering while he gathers himself and goes back to the second floor with the other four. When he goes past the pack members everyone touches him to soothe and mark with their comforting scent.

Talia stops him to hug again and to nuzzle in his neck.

“Nothing had happened yet, Son. And she will answer for even breathing in your side”.

Everyone believed him immediately. It’s so relieving. And they will do something. And for some reason, they didn’t hate him. Maybe they didn’t understand everything he told just yet. He will wait for inevitable.

But right now Mom had hugged him and kissed him and then he comes back to his bed, Laura and Cora cuddle next to him and he doesn’t have the strength to shove them off. It feels like forgiveness.

**TWtwTW**

After Stiles woke up still clothed and half sprawled on Scott, the first thought he has was to call Derek. He quickly turned Scott’s laptop on to see what everything he remembered from yesterday was the truth. He should have called sooner. Immediately. But with all new information, he just passed out through research. Almost like at home. He starts talking after Derek picks up.

“Derek, I did find something important. Like the most important information EVER. “Son, our family is not like the others” level of importance. The date of the fire has changed here! It happens on 22nd January! Not on the 25th.”

“Stiles,” Derek sounds strange and there are some other people voices next to him. He has no time to say anything more because he is interrupted with deep men voice.

“Mister Stilinski, I assume?” Somebody in the back yells “But it’s today!” but is quickly shushed.

“Deaton, my man! Today I’m glad to hear even your voice!” Stiles is a little surprised and tries to sound cheerful because he himself asked Derek to speak to people. He just didn’t believe the man would follow this advice. And Stiles is not used to relying on grownups. What does it say about his life? Acting just like a stupid Harry Potter kid who was never asking for help. “Do you know why this is happening? How is it even possible? I have quite a theory about aurora borealis mixing with this Spark thing…”

“Do I presume we are acquainted where are you from?” Deaton sounds on guard. So just like himself.

“Yeah, great cover with being a vet and all that.”

Stiles can already see a couple of paths this conversation could go. Speaking with Deaton always brings questions, not answers. And even if Stiles can see positive aspects in this whole method “Give a path, search yourself” it is always not the right thing of situation Deaton uses it.

But then again he is interrupted. This time by a woman.

“Mister Stilinski, Stiles, my name is Talia Hale. We would like to believe everything you told Derek and _your father_ is truth. But what exactly is your association with Hale pack?”

Talia Hale. Derek’s _Mom_. Isn’t it crazy? She has such an authoritative voice. And a lot of distrust in her tone. She’s really bold. How should he answer? They probably already know what had happened. But what is today a Hale pack? Does exist one at all? They are all dead. There is no Hales alive in that place where he is. He just needs to talk to her. Derek believes him. Could she too?

“Missis… Alpha Hale, you called your emissary and you are talking to me. It means you already believed me. I told you what I know. Kate Argent is going to burn your house down. It’s a fact. You can try to do something or you can ignore me. And die. And let Derek blame himself for it for his whole life. You make the choice. I called to tell the only important thing. The date of the fire has changed. In this future where I am now, all Hales are dead. And the bitch came to my house as well. Listen. I read in the papers everything happened after 7 p.m. That’s all I now know. But I will try to find more. Because she is here again.”

Suddenly after intense silence where are voices again talking all at once.

“Stiles, what do you want to…”

“Mister Stilinski, what do you mean by the “Spark thing?”

“You need to be cautious, Stiles…”

“Listen all, I know. We killed Kate before once, everything will work out again.” He stops the questions. It was stupid to mention Kate’s killing. “Can I talk to Derek alone for a minute?”

Scott shouts for him that they are getting late for school.

“Yeah, yeah, Scotty. Give me a minute!” He hears a shuffle and then a door being closed.

Derek takes a breath and says, “We are alone.”

But Stiles is not sure what to say. Why he even asked for privacy. Can a person be alone in a house full of werewolves?

“How are you?”

Derek almost whispers an answer. “We talked. With Mom and everyone. They’re all angry and determined.”

“You know it’s not your fault, right? I didn’t start all of it to punish you. And nothing even happened yet.”

“Mom said the same. But your father…”

Stiles smiles a little wistful. “Is still alive in your time. Your Mom sounds fierce. I wish I’ve met her.”

“You will.” Derek answers heartily.

“Promise me something?” Stiles asks very seriously. “Look after my Dad, ok? He is my only family.”

“I promise.” And Stiles believes him. Scott storms in the room and starts to make crazy eyes at him.

“I should go. Derek, we will stop her. I will call you later. Don’t you dare to die on me”.

He looks for a minute in the window thinking. The sky picking from the curtains is bright with a couple of stripes of the northern lights still seen. We want to meet Talia. He really wants to see Derek again alive and happy. So he needs to do something.

Stiles manages to take a quick shower what does not get rid him of the smoke smell but anyway feels like a blessing, and Scott lends him some clothes. They use Melissa’s car to go to school.

Stiles finds out that he unexpectedly didn’t join Beacon Hills High with everybody else. And Scott sheepishly tells him they haven’t really spoken for the last two years. It breaks Stiles's heart for his other-self. But he doesn’t have time for a pity party. He has a murderous bitch to catch and people to save. Another great day in Beacon Hills.

School looks the same. Same building, same people. Same people… First, he does see Lydia. She wears the same distant and arrogant look like before the whole werewolf shit started to happen while speaking with some girls he doesn’t recognize. She looks bored. Then he catches sight of Erica who looks so miserable and alone and ill and not really herself. Not the fierce beautiful crazy woman she really is. Boyd is walking alone in the distance and is not looking around. He even does see Matt and it’s disturbing in a lot of ways. He cannot find Isaac. Stiles is not sure he wants to know why.

They skip the first class in the boy's restrooms and twenty minutes in Scott starts the fire alarm. It’s pretty simple in the end, everybody panics and runs from school as they snick in the administration office and Stiles searches for Kate’s file to look up her address. Nobody tries to stop them. Lydia looks a little suspicious at him when they slowly (“Very inconspicuous, Scott!”) walk from the backdoor and go straight for Scott’s car. But he can see that she dismisses him as always and immediately forgets about it. All kids are in the parking lot waiting for something to happen. Some of them follow Scott's lead and go for their cars.

Scott is pretty excited about everything they do. He cannot see the danger and the possible damage. Only his best friend is back and taking him for an adventure. Wasn’t it how everything started? Stiles taking Scott for an adventure? When everything ended in death and murder. But not this time. God, not this time.

Kate lives in a cozy little house in a new part of the town. They park a few houses down the street and walk through backyards, climbing over the fences. Scott is having problems with his breath, but it doesn’t diminish his enthusiasm. The backdoor is closed and Stiles can’t see if there is an alarm, so Scott does the next best thing – just breaks the window.

“Are you crazy, Scott? Do you have a death wish? Now you can be charged for breaking… and entering.” He lamely finishes as his friend opens the door through the hole in the glass. “What… how…why…”

“We don’t have much time, Stiles. She can come home any minute.”

“When did you become the clever one in this relationship?” Stiles answers walking in the house and looking for the living room. There is only one store in the house and not a lot of place. They search every room through and through. There is nothing. No pictures, no documents, only some clothes and cosmetics.

“It’s creepy, don’t you think?” Scott shouts from the kitchen. He is checking the fringe and makes such a face when he enters that Stiles just doesn’t want to know. 

“She is a crazy-ass killer. It’s her job to be creepy.”

“But this place looks like a motel room. That is her problem?”

“Wooden toys. Gerard for a Daddy. Who knows?” Scott looks like he agrees (he probably doesn’t, because he knows nothing about Gerard, but it’s nice anyway).

They leave the house the same way they came. All Stiles can feel is frustration. His anxiety is slowly building up because he can’t find anything to hook her. And the main players in this game are _not even in the same year as he is_. What if they can’t stop her? What if everyone is killed _again_ like it happened in this reality already? He doesn’t know if he could ever come back _home_. Doesn’t know what happened with Stiles from this reality. Is he alive somewhere? Is Stiles taking his place forever? Did he jump in parallel reality too?

They decide to stop by Deaton’s. The clinic is open. The building looks nicer somehow. There is a small girl in the front with a fluffy bunny. The bunny wakes strange associations in Stiles's brain. After the bunny is declared healthy the new vet, “call me Megan, boys”, says that Deaton left town almost six years ago. And she had the practice since. Stiles asks her blatantly about magic but she just looks at him funny. So they leave with nothing.

They go back to school. Scott cannot let himself skip the whole day. The fire alarm was declared a false one and the classes continued after most kids came back. Stiles goes to the library full-on in research mode. Which brings nothing to him besides even more frustration.

Stiles searches for “Argent Arms International” in attempt to find Chris Argent. He calls several numbers, but every time he asks for Chris the call is disconnected. It was worth in a long shot because it could connect Beacon Hills to Kate. But he doesn’t have the time.

He goes to the police station. It hurts so much to know his father is not there. But this is the last place he can hope to find something. While walking from school he tries to think of the way to look at the files or to steal them. This time he doesn’t have Derek with his “everything” to distract the officer at the desk. And Scott could find there only more trouble. His hope to see Tara or someone familiar goes to ashes when he finally talks himself to enter the building. He probably doesn’t know anyone here anymore. He can play his own version of Veronica Mars and pretend to be a journalist or even a boy detective. Or he can play himself and hope some compassionate soul will help him.

He is deprived of choice because somebody runs into him in the doorway. It’s the sheriff Stiles can tell from the uniform, but not somebody he knows.

“Stiles!” the sheriff is surprised. “You look…”

“Stunningly. Flattering, thank you, I take care of myself.” The man keeps looking at his face and hands in amazement. He will not leave that alone easily. “It’s a new experimental skin treatment and makeup I wear.” The sheriff takes this explanation. Then looks him in the eye embarrassed.

“Are you in trouble again? The Child services called”. This question makes him again think about poor guy from this reality living without his father and so, so damaged inside and outside.

“No.” He does that helped him so many times before - he makes a really earnest and sad face (like somebody _really_ killed his father). It is not so hard at all. “Today is the anniversary, you know.”

The sheriff looks guilty. He puts his hand on the boy’s shoulder and walks him to his office. Stiles tries to remember something useful from his other-self memory.

“I’m back in the therapy.”

“It’s great news, son.” This brings a lump in Stiles's throat. He tries to smile.

“Thank you. My therapist thinks I should take a look at the case file.” Before the man can start to protest he continues. “Okay, he didn’t. I know it is against the procedure. But today is a special day and we talked a lot about what could bring me closure. To move on. To make me stay out of trouble.”

Stiles can tell the sheriff is a good man. But he should be talking with his father now. Who could always see through his bullshit. The sheriff breaks. He brings the file himself to Stiles and leaves him in the office for twenty minutes. There is almost nothing shocking in file besides the pictures of his father’s body. Burned remains of a person who didn’t deserve to die. Stiles makes himself look at them. To know. To remember.

There are references to the Hale fire and to the serial arsonist case, but he can’t look through them. He looks in every file in the room. There is nothing more useful in the office and the sheriff is more creative than Scott so he can’t pick password on his computer.

When the sheriff comes back Stiles knows his eyes are still red. They talk a little more about his fictional therapy (he uses all he can remember from the time his mother died and the therapy really helped him). And then he says his goodbyes.

So now he knows the time Kate came, substances she used and how long his father suffered. But will it help Derek and the others to stop her? To save his father? He writes to Scott to say what he had found and decides to go back home to look for some clues.

The burned-out place doesn’t look like a home. But still is one. How could Derek live in his burned-out house for so long? The guy could make some therapist a millionaire one day. If Stiles succeeds. Or not. They really would be different people from what he knows. But different is better than dead. He will take that.

The sun was setting. The house was looking menacing and repellent. He makes a couple circles around the house but it’s a time-waster. Too much time had passed. There are no footprints. No clues. Only fresh grass. Dark windows look at him accusingly. He goes inside pulling out the phone to call Derek.

_“Welcome home, Darling. Long time no see.”_

It’s Kate. Scary, crazy and beautiful like always. She is smiling like she really missed him.

Stiles presses the button “Call”.

**TWtwTW**

Then the Deputy finally comes seems like everybody at the house has gone mad. Peter is talking with someone on the phone and yelling. Norah and Mike are packing. Mom and Grandma, Jacob and Elroy are planning something at the table. Dad is sitting across from him at the dining table looking grim and drinking coffee. He keeps tabs at Derek and listening to Mom and Peter at the same time. Cora and Laura skipped the school and are playing with Rudy like nothing is happening at all. Laura is trying to catch his gaze, but he shuns it.

It seems like Mom hears something and looks at Dad. He stands up and goes to the door. Then Derek hears the car himself.

The Deputy evidently didn't sleep the night. He has baggy eyes and smells a bit of alcohol too thin for the human nose to feel, but not for a werewolf. Mom casts a frowning look at him what lasts a couple of seconds. He also smells of a sick child, coffee and gun oil. Derek likes something about his smell.

Stilinski takes note of the bags and the atmosphere but doesn’t say anything. Everyone greets him. Mom says something to Gran, nods to Dad and Peter, takes his arm and brings them all to her study.

“Please, sit down. We really appreciate your help, Deputy…”

“Stilinski.” His Mom is playing at something. Derek is certain he would not like it.

“But we are not going to press the charges against Miss Argent. So you have nothing to worry”. Derek is bewildered as much as the Officer at that statement. His father and Peter are not. So this is their plan? To fix up everything themselves?

Stilinski is looking at them all with a really intense stare. Then he turns toward Mom.

“Madame, in this case being the Officer that took Derek’s statement I could bring Miss Argent to questioning myself and then call in the State Prosecutor and not even inform you”. They can’t build the case without Derek’s statement but it will close Kate road to work with minors no matter what. “And I’m interested what are you going do with the fire threat you received”.

“Oh, that was just a joke, Deputy Stilinski”. Peter has his sweetest smile on the face. Nobody in their right mind would believe him. “Some kids from school just wanted to get back at our boy. Something to do with sports rivalry. That’s all”. It’s like he isn’t even trying. The thunderous look at Mom’s face says she has the same opinion.

“Ha. That makes sense.” The Deputy sweetly smiles back. Everyone looks suspiciously back. “The problem is this joking kid is named just like my _son._ And he sounds just my _son_ being older. The number he was calling from belonged to my _wife_ and is disconnected for several months. And before the boy hanged up I heard my own voice calling him ‘Stiles’”. By the end of the speech, Dad has covered his face by his hand, Mum has her Alpha face on and his Uncle has a calculating expression. Stilinski looks determined.

“Werewolves”, says Peter. Mum flashes her eyes at him making him submit, flash his eyes back and bare his neck. She looks really angry. Says “Stupid joke, Peter”. Yet Stilinski isn’t looking at them. He mirrors Derek’s Dad by putting his hands on his face.

“Why it is always not drugs”. He looks calm, his heart beating just a bit quicker. “I saw his eyes changing color when we talked just like yours right now”, he absently gestures at Derek then at everyone else. Everybody keeps silent for a minute. The Deputy visibly collects himself and again looks determined. “Is my kid in trouble wherever he is?”

“No”, says Derek.

“Yes”, tells the Alpha. Derek looks at her worried.

“Why do you think Stiles is in trouble?” asks Stilinski. Derek’s Alpha tells him about the call they received this morning. About theory Deaton (“The vet?”) has about changing of the future Stiles done (not helpful). About Stiles wanting to find more information.

“We need to find Argent if she is arrested she can’t start the fire. Can we change the future like this?”

Everyone agrees on this plan. Peter nevertheless goes with the Deputy to help. Mum and Dad discuss that the deputy accepting them so simple could be a great opportunity to have a person-in-the-know in the local force. Plus his son probably having magic and some help in the future.

Norah and Eleonor take the kids and the grandparents, load two cars and go out of town. Laura and Derek refuse to leave and after stating nothing will stop them to come back. Mum manages to talk Laura into protecting the family, but Derek is left alone. Mike and Elroy escort them to the outskirts of the city looking out for the hunters, then they will join the hunt for Kate.

They search through all city for Kate Argent. But she is as if disappeared from the face of the earth. She is not at school, she is not at home. Stilinski calls to say he’s made a request for an order.

Derek doesn’t leave his Alpha’s side. She contacts Argents, but they answer with reluctance and say Kate is on a mission out of contact. Deaton refuses to help find Kate stating everything should go as it goes.

Derek tries to call Stiles several times but the phone isn’t working as if the line is dead.

By five p.m. everyone is on age. Derek waits for his parents to return from a patrol from the forest. There is no trace of hunters, even if they find some fresh caches with weapons. By the time his parents are home Stilinski and Peter make a stop by the house to change the strategies. They plan to divide and to send four people to search again next to Stilinski house. Mike and Elroy still not being back from the city.

In this moment two phones ring in the same time.

Derek takes his call but it is not Stiles voice he hears.

_“I will end you this time, boy. You should have left me alone, as I have left you alive”._ He hears “Derek!” then a crash and the line goes dead.

Deputy Stilinski takes another call. It’s his son, someone is in their house. He should have been by his friend, why he is home, has time to think Derek as he jumps after Peter in the police cruiser and they speed in the city. All he can think about is Stiles. The small one, the big one. Both in trouble.

**TWtwTW**

Kate looks at him with even more hatred. She just broke his phone, the last line to Derek and changing everything he fucked up. They are circling each other in the remains of his living room.

Stiles doesn’t know what she waits for. But he slowly moves toward the kitchen hoping to find there a knife or anything. He is really tired after this endless day and his head is starting to kill him again. He sees something in the corner of this eye, but he can’t look away from her. Kate gets her own knife from the back holster. Stiles starts to feel scared. There are still ten steps to the kitchen counter. The throws the knife at him and catches him in the side. Fortunately, it is just a long gash. Stiles runs in the kitchen.

At that moment the house starts changing around them. Like a ripple is going on the walls, the furniture replacing the burned ones with unburned. There some new pictures on the walls, the couch is new as well, Stiles doesn’t remember it. His head is now killing him. 

Kate screams in agony and falls in her knees. In her face appear four long gashes and then disappear. After that something happens. The gashes disappear. Her teeth become sharper, her nose, her ears change. She gets some claws on her hands.

“What the were-fuck are you?” shouts the boy.

_“Language, darling”, purrs Kate and launches herself at Stiles, they fall struggling and she starts to choke him._

Just as they enter the house Kate launches herself at Derek, they fall struggling and she tries to choke him. On her face is almost unrecognizable grimace. Her voice is dripping hate.

“Now this looks familiar, sweetie. I’m again on top. How many times I wanted to do this!” She strikes a knife in his ribcage. He feels how wolfsbane starts running through his veins. His Mum and Peter are nearby, Deputy and Dad going from the back.

Derek hears how his Alpha roars in rage. And suddenly someone rips Kate from him. He feels dizzy. Peter is fighting with Kate. She grazes him too with her knife. They move at each over and bounce back like in the deadly dance. She finds something in her jacket pocket when Talia comes behind her. Derek’s eyes flick to his Alpha and Kate reacts to his gaze and moves, so the clawed hand doesn’t reach her neck. But four long gashes appear on Kate’s face. She drops something from her hand. It's a wolfsbane smoke bomb. Derek starts to cough. He can’t see Kate.

Peter goes to him and helps to stand up when Derek hears a rapid heartbeat. It comes from a cupboard. He opens it still coughing and sees a small boy from the schoolyard. Stiles. The boy climbs at him like a monkey and almost chocks in a hug. Derek looks at his mother. She tells him that Kate has run away and Peter and his Dad are pursuing her.

Stilinski takes his kid from him, Stiles starts to cry.

Stiles starts to cry because Kates claws dig in his ribs. And then he hears the sweetest sound – a werewolf roar. Somebody bumps into Kate and she falls on the floor.

It’s Derek. Derek is here. Stiles looks up and sees his father running to him. Here are other people with Hale written on their faces looking murderous. It’s Peter, probably Derek’s parents, Laura, somebody else.

Kate screeches and jumps at Derek. “You!” Peter and Talia close in her from two sides and pull her of the younger man. Peter grabs her shoulders and Talia reaps Argents head off. Kate is finally gone. After she tells other Hales to take care of that.

But Stiles is not really listening. He remembers again. _Hales and his Dad saving him from Kate eight years ago. Him coming to Hale house. Being friends with Cora and Rudy. Having sleepovers with them and Scott. Being fascinated with Derek, later becoming friends too. Learning magic. Being happy._

After he comes to himself Derek is hugging him like there is no tomorrow and his Dad is hugging them both. Stiles feels as if he cannot be happier. But some people are missing from his memories.

He whispers _“Derek, my man, my wolf…friend. I know a couple more people you would like to save.”_

“That sentence made no sense” Derek replies and laughs.

**Epilogue**

Derek is happy. The Wolf Moon is a couple of days away and with their Pack expanding there is not enough place for everyone in the Hale House. Dad talks about rebuilding.

This year Scott, Isaac and Boyd are crashing in Derek’s old room. They are new to everything and having their Alpha so near the Full Moon is helping.

Derek is free at last to choose himself where he wants to sleep for this week having all the family and Pack get together to honor the Old Tradition.

So he takes his bag and drives to the Stilinski House. Stiles and the Sheriff are quite happy to have him there. Although he receives an embarrassing talk from John why he should stay in the guest room. And not be found in Stiles’s room after the curfew.

Everyone was nervous the last couple of years waiting for the day Kate would come back. But now everything is alright. She is dead. His family is alive. Stiles is alive.

And Derek is _happy_.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope this fic is not a mess. I'm sorry if anyone is confused about the dates. 
> 
> I finished this fic listening to Hamilton Mixtape. 
> 
> The unused epigraph:  
> Something changed, something not  
> Stiles is a genius, Derek's hot
> 
> [Here](http://borealis2000.com/Northern_Lights_California.html) is information and pics about actual northern lights in California.
> 
> The Hales: Talia, her husband Theo (Theodor), her kids Laura, Derek, Cora, her mother Ruth, her brother Peter, Peter's girlfriend (human) Eleonor, sister of Theo (human) Norah, her husband Mike, their son Rudy, Talia's cousin Elroy, his father Jacob


End file.
